Starting Strong – Calf Care

The warm winter certainly made for nice conditions for calf raisers, but it will add some challenges for calf managers this summer. In this edition of Calf Chat, Ann explores what calf management practices to focus on without a winter kill of bacteria.

Autofeeders Boost Consistency at Jones Dairy Over and over, calf raisers are lectured on the importance of consistency for raising strong, healthy calves. That’s especially relevant when it comes to the nutrition of these young animals. At Jones Dairy in Spencer, Iowa, Aaron (Jones) Titterington found one tool to offer more consistency to the farm’s

In this edition of Starting Strong A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Cathy Speirs of Shiloh Dairy LLC shares what she's done to manage calves during this unusual spring. Thank you to Cathy for joining the Starting Strong team for the past year and providing her expertise. Meet our next calf raiser

By Eliza Ruzic, Vita Plus Loyal Dairy Specialist Mother Nature has taken us on a rollercoaster ride in Central Wisconsin this spring, with the warmest March on record and below-average temperatures in April. The swings in weather have kept calf and heifer raisers on their toes to make sure their calves are healthy and growing.

Dr. Al Martens joins us from Waupun Veterinary Service, which "stives to provide innovative and compassionate veterinary medical care and consulting services for progressive livestock producres which improve animal health and produce profitability." Q: Why is Mycoplasma so difficult to manage and what can I do to control it? A: Mycoplasma bovis is a common

When it comes to raising healthy heifers in a humane fashion, preventing infectious disease is only part of the battle. Internal and external parasites also can take a toll on heifers' wellbeing and limit their production potential as well. Parasite control comprises a significant portion of the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association's Gold Standards III,

Once you have successfully helped deliver a newborn calf, the most important thing is to identify if the calf is breathing and behaving normally. Initially, you may be concerned about an unresponsive calf, but it can be resuscitated through several different methods according to Dr. Sheila McGuirk from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Veterinary

By Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator Automatic calf feeders are popping up on many dairy operations across the Midwest. The technology offers plenty of opportunities, but it also requires a refocus on management. The decision of whether autofeeders fit your calf program needs to be made only after careful consideration of how the

Many of you open your farm gates to school tours to give students a better understanding of the food production. But those tour groups also include the next generation of agricultural leaders. As agriculture expands beyond the farm to the laboratory, test plot, manufacturing facility and public office, students need to learn what agricultural careers

On many dairies, calves are moved at least once to separate rearing facilities. Since we can’t buckle up baby calves in car seats, we have to find other ways to ensure the animals arrive safely and in good health.  As outlined in the Dairy Calf & Heifer Association’s Gold Standards III, here are some tips

It has certainly been an unseasonably warm winter for most of us. Although the warmer temperatures make it more enjoyable to work outdoors, it too comes with its fair share of challenges. In this edition, Ann Hoskins, Vita Plus calf products coordinator, explores the changes you may need to make to your protocols for things

The Cows Take Center Stage Situated on the edge of Dane County, a half-hour away from Madison, Wis., Baerwolf Dairies, LLC is a unique family farm. Brothers Rob and James Baerwolf both attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison and returned home to farm. Their wives – both named Jenny, coincidently – are also partners in the

In this edition of Starting Strong A Day in the Life of a Calf Raiser, Cathy Speirs of Shiloh Dairy LLC dives into her calf feeding program. She shares how little tools and strategies can have a big impact on calf performance.

By Barry Visser, Vita Plus Dairy Technical Services What a winter!  Minnesota statistics to date would define it as the warmest on record in more than 134 years with only three sub-zero nights recorded thus far in the Twin Cities region. Last year at this time, we had received more than 60 inches of snow

Thanks to Alice Lindborg for submitting this edition’s Ask the Expert question. Alice received a free packet of Secure® 175 because her question was selected.  Dr. Neil Michael comes to Starting Strong with nearly 30 years of experience as a veterinarian specializing in dairy. He currently works as the director of dairy initiatives for Vita

By Dr. David Carlson, Milk Products   As the price of milk and the cost to produce milk continue to be volatile, multiple options to alter cash flow and/or profitability are considered. One commonly discussed option is implementation of a whole milk feeding program for preweaned calves. That decision should be made only after taking